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D-Star Into.....IC-2820

K

KF7RUQ

W9WDX Amateur Radio Club Member
Dec 7, 2011
44
0
16
I posted this on another Forum, and wanted to put it here, too. Hopefully I have it in the correct area.



I have recently purchased a D-Star capable radio. I bought it, versus a regular radio because of a friend telling me "How great D-Star is."

After asking him a number of questions, which were unanswered, I have joined this group hoping to get some help.

The radio is quality, good transmit, receive, audio quality, etc. So far, extremely OVERPRICED vs performance, even on sale.

I haven't found anything directed to D-Star beginners. (Other than the Icom HT, ID-31, maybe) I have found a few Videos on YouTube, but I believe there has to be something else. I've got the basic understanding, but can't find anything as to how to implement the all of the features, including the two different speeds of data.

One example is, I was told/shown how to set up one D-Star repeater. (Even though the repeater isn't connected to the internet) In the set up process, it is set up to "all" people (having one of the settings to CQCQCQ). While having all of the same settings for the same repeater, but changing the CQCQCQ to an individuals Call Sign. When asking "Why?" I was told that we could have a direct link, or something like that. He then went on to set up the same repeater, same Freq, 10-15 more times, but changing only the individuals call sign.

I was appreciating the help, but immediately thought that this was a waste of resource and time. There has to be a better way to utilize this.

Another source of frustration is the ICOM programming software, What a Pain In The @rse!! This also seems to be OVERPRICED and UnderPerforming. I have used other programming software, and this $ucks.

I have had to search out CHIRP, and even though I haven't got it to work, it seems to be more user friendly.

I am sure that others have had similar feelings. Are there any YouTube videos, or other things that can make my Icom Life easier?

Thanks for the time and the links.......
 

D-Star is SKYPE. You really think that linking your Ham Radio into an internet connected PC and talking "DX" to someone across the world is "working radio"?

The tech behind it is cool, but seriously, remove the ham Radio, insert a mic into your PC and you can do the exact same thing and save yourself several hundreds of dollars.
 
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D STAR

I was thinking the same SKYPE, if you want something cheaper than investing into D STAR just get CQ 100, less expense from the pocket. In fact there had been repeaters on it at one time...
Anyhow I use it off/on like SKYPE but for hams only..reasonable priced..
DOCTOR
 
I have several D-Star radios and I find the RT Systems software easier to use than the Icom software. Radio Programming Software | Amateur Radio Software | Cloning Software

For general D-Star info try this link. Home - D-STAR Info Notice the "Calculator". If you have access to a gateway enabled repeater, the calculator will show you how to program your radio to access other repeaters.

Nifty E-Z Guides has a good book on D-Star Nifty E-Z Guide to D-STAR Operation It will help you understand programing, gateways, reflectors, and call sign routing.

Call sign routing is a very useful feature if you travel allot . D-STAR will route the call to me no matter where I am as long as I am near a gateway enabled repeater. Similar to making or receiving a cell phone call.

D-Star is not for everybody and it is not intuitive to learn. You have to spend some time with the books.

Good luck.
 
One example is, I was told/shown how to set up one D-Star repeater. (Even though the repeater isn't connected to the internet) In the set up process, it is set up to "all" people (having one of the settings to CQCQCQ). While having all of the same settings for the same repeater, but changing the CQCQCQ to an individuals Call Sign. When asking "Why?" I was told that we could have a direct link, or something like that. He then went on to set up the same repeater, same Freq, 10-15 more times, but changing only the individuals call sign.

I was appreciating the help, but immediately thought that this was a waste of resource and time. There has to be a better way to utilize this.
Click to expand...

I think it sort-of is a waste of time and memory slots. By putting in the the individual callsigns, you're telling all of the radios on the repeater that you're calling for that one individual. The only radio that will open up the squelch is the one that you're calling. There's nothing wrong with doing it that way if you really are going to have that many one on one conversations. If you're not, then just delete them - you can always change the destination call on the fly if needed.

D-Star is SKYPE.
Click to expand...

How so? He said his repeater wasn't connected to the internet. They're using it strictly for it's digital and data capabilities, which far exceed the internet linking function.
 
Thanks for the replies. Sorry for my late reply.....

I have this set up to notify me, now.
 
I don't know if you tried the calculator mentioned above, but it's what finally got me past simply talking on the local repeater, and into really using the "system" world wide. DSTAR Web Calculator - D-STAR Info

That's one of the features I mentioned in the other post about the RT software. It has the same calculator, however it will load all of the info right to the 2820. Four mouse clicks and I was talking to a guy at a Pub in Scotland, sitting on a bar stool with an HT.
 
Well, hang in there and don't give up. Once you have success getting it online, you'll be glad you stuck with it. Call it skype or what ever you want, but when I talk into my mic to a guy drinking a pint in Scotland, and he comes back over the radio's speaker, it sure feels like radio to me...

Online through a local repeater could be discouraging. It was for me. If it wasn't for Moleculo putting a "Club" D-Star 440 machine up a few miles from me (hopefully today), I'd have already purchased the DV access delio... When his machine goes online, I'll be able to hit on the International Reflectors without pissing off another repeater's user base.

KF7RYU, I'll pass on a little thing I discovered to be helpful once I finally DID get online through a local repeater. Once you get it online and successfully "link" to a reflector somewhere, you'll hear a little message that says "linked"... If you didle around for a little while then walk away, the repeater is still linked to the reflector until you "unlink" it, which takes another command ("U" in the "your call" slot).

What I did was to set up the memory on the 2820 with three different memories to work a reflector. First, the programming to get in to the repeater (ch1). Once I'm in, I turn the dial to ch2, which has the info to get from the repeater into the reflector. When I'm done, I turn the dial to ch3 to "unlink".

Looks like this in my programming menu;
Channel Name Your Call Repeater 1 Call Repeater 2 Call
1 MalibuDS QCQCQC KJ6BWR B KJ6BWR G
2 C001 REF001CL KJ6BWR B KJ6BWR G
3 Unlink U KJ6BWR B KJ6BWR G

Sorry, can't seem to keep those columns/tabs aligned, but you can figure it out...

With that programmed, all I do is dial up ch1, key the mic and I'm on the repeater/gateway. Ch2, key the mic and I'm on the gateway into the reflector. Ch3, key the mic and it disconnects from the reflector.

ALSO, if you haven't found it yet and have computer access while you're on the radio, you can watch a computer screen to see if you get in to the system. If you're hooked up correctly, each time you key the mic, your info will come up on this page --> D-StarUsers.org Your Source for D-Star Digital Amateur Radio Information! Each time a link or un-link command from your radio "registers" on the system, it will be right on top of that page in real time.
 
Thanks.... This is the "Meat" that I am looking for. I still don't have 100% comprehension, but hopefully it will come.

Some of what you said, is my motivation for asking about a 2820 software hack. Or even something to make the operation easier. (I am guessing that is what the Icom ID-31A HT has)

Is it just me, or is it a waste of resource to program 3 channels so that you can work/disconnect from the reflector?

Do you know where some helpful Videos are?

-Thanks again.....
 
I cussed myself for buying this thing for about a week because I couldn't get on a repeater, then I stumbled upon a very basic dstar tutorial on you tube (sorry no link) and I discovered that the "B" (for 440) wasn't in the 8th character position like it needed to be. The repeater was a five digit call sign and I simply left a space before entering "B". Two spaces and I was in... You're going to find something like that, which isn't CLEARLY spelled out in the 2828 manual and go "dang..."

Sorry, but all I can tell you is to google "you tube d-star programming" and you'll probably have to view a few bad ones before the light comes on.

Don't know anything about software or firmware mods.

I realize that you're swearing off RT Systems for your own ethical reasons and I totally respect that, however, I promise i won't point a finger if you break down and buy it. Nobody else will either. I actually figured the programming out the hard way BEFORE I spent the $49, and after I installed it I kicked myself in the ass for not doing it sooner. I would have have NONE of the aggravation that I experienced feeling my way through it on my own. It makes it all that simple. Not making a plug for them, just sincerely feeling your pain...

As to the three channels for a reflector, it doesn't bother me because it's just one (the BIG one) reflector and one repeater. It's just a hell of a lot easier set up that way for that situation than getting three sub-menus deep just to unlink.

When you get that thing on a gateway finally, dial up that "001CL" reflector. That's like the International call channel where you can talk to people all over the world w/o having to enter their call sign, etc... Pretty cool.
 
AcidRod said:
....... I actually figured the programming out the hard way BEFORE I spent the $49, and after I installed it I kicked myself in the ass for not doing it sooner. I would have have NONE of the aggravation that I experienced feeling my way through it on my own. It makes it all that simple. Not making a plug for them, just sincerely feeling your pain...
Click to expand...

I might have to put aside my pride, and purchase it, too.



AcidRod said:
.......As to the three channels for a reflector, it doesn't bother me because it's just one (the BIG one) reflector and one repeater. It's just a hell of a lot easier set up that way for that situation than getting three sub-menus deep just to unlink.
Click to expand...

I have heard a number of other users that have the same, "easier" reasoning. I might have to go that route, but I doubt that I will remember how to keep them all straight.

I already have 3 memory slots set up to contact my "D-Star Elmer" on one frequency. Unfortunately, I can't remember which goes to where. Plus, neither of us are on, at the same time. (Then my ICOM Engineered frustration comes out...)


AcidRod said:
.......When you get that thing on a gateway finally, dial up that "001CL" reflector. That's like the International call channel where you can talk to people all over the world w/o having to enter their call sign, etc... Pretty cool.
Click to expand...

I'd like to, hopefully, soon.
 

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